And I'm not sure about where you are, but my state just closed all the liquor stores and bars!
Never fear, I'm here to help.
I doubt anyone needs instructions on soup (just throw vegetables, cooked beans, whole grains, etc into water or broth with seasonings. If you eat meat, add it early. If you wish to add meat substitutes, add them when the soup is about 15-20 minutes from being done. Add pasta fairly near the end too, but longer than the package directions since you'll be simmering. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.)
What about eggs? Well, here's a helpful page on how to substitute for eggs in baking. What if you're in the mood for scramble and out of eggs? Try tofu! Other types of egg dishes? Here's a link called "Vegan Eggs: Incredible Vegan Versions of Every Egg Dish" that's sure to have suggestions (obviously, some may call for ingredients you don't have on hand, so read before you start).
As far as milk, unless you have access to a stocked store or a cow, you need to think dairy-free. Here's a simple soy milk recipe. Soy not your thing? Here's how to make almond milk, cashew milk, and oat milk. Of these, I've only made soy (so far), but wanted to share with y'all.
It IS possible to make homemade cheese (there are whole books on it), but the amount of milk needed makes it impossible for most people at home. I've made very small batches before, but.... So here are some suggestions on non-dairy "cheeses" (note, I have not tried these. I do have some Vegan "cheese" cookbooks and have experimented a little, but can't swear by these recipes).
Bread is the staff of life, they say. Here's a recipe for a basic white bread. Here's one for whole wheat bread. But what if you're out of yeast? Well, it'll take a little longer, since you need to make a starter, but here's a recipe for sourdough bread.
Now, I'm not one to advise on how to "make" (ie, kill and process) meat. But I CAN help out with meat substitute ideas.
Let's start with a basic Gardenburger copycat. Here's a recipe for patties that are supposed to be similar to the Impossible Burger (minus the GMO "blood", obviously).
If it's "beef" (that isn't burger) that you're looking for, here's an article from One Green Planet. And here's a Vegan "meatloaf"! And a recipe for a tofu-based taco "meat".
Interested in mock "chicken"? This One Green Planet article can give you some ideas.
If your store is out of veggie "dogs" and "sausages", here's an article called "15 Homemade Veggie Dogs and Sausage Recipes for #NationalHotDogDay", which includes everything from carrot "dogs" to seitan, plus condiments. And if you have (or can get) the ingredients, here's a Beyond Sausage copycat recipe.
What about breakfast? Here are "EASY VEGAN HOMEMADE SAUSAGES". And here's a recipe for seitan "bacon".
Okay, so let's move on to snacks. If your store is out of snack chips, don't panic. Believe it or not, they're easy to make. Here's a basic recipe that you can then jazz up. If you have Barbecue seasoning on hand, simply use it in place of salt. If you have sour cream and onion seasoning (often sold for use on popcorn), use that. And so on. You can even create custom blends of herbs, spices, and salt to sprinkle on (I love to make hot chips, for example, though apart from cayenne powder and salt, I vary the seasonings every time. So I can't give a recipe).
Corn chips are even easier! Just stack some corn tortillas and cut them into quarters. Drop them into the hot oil and gently stir with a slotted spoon. Once they're golden and crispy, pull them out and let them drain briefly, then put on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let cool, and enjoy! If Doritos are more your thing, try this recipe for Nacho Doritos. If you prefer Cool Ranch, try this one!
More into crackers? Here's a recipe for homemade Cheez-its (if you've got Cheddar, that is). Here's one for Ritz. And simplest of all, one for Saltines.
From here down, I'll be sharing information on alcoholic beverages. By continuing, you assert that you are of legal drinking age and have checked national and local regulations on homemade alcohol. MOST places will allow you to make (but not sell) beers, wines, ciders, and meade. As far as I know, distillation without a license is illegal everywhere in the world, so don't expect any instructions on homemade vodka or whisky! lol.
If you're more into grape wine, here's a recipe that uses concentrated grape juice.
Meade is a wine made of honey. Here's a recipe/tutorial. It calls for non-chlorinated water. Ideally, that would be bottled or distilled. But boiling the water for several minutes (uncovered) and letting it cool will drive off chlorine (not chloramines, so if your water supplier uses those then boiling won't work).
Hard cider can be easy to make too. This tutorial tells you how to use apple juice to make a wild-fermented brew. Of course, if you only have pasteurized juice, you'll need to add yeast. But it mentions that possibility too.
The trouble with all those above? They take weeks or more. What if you want something a little faster? Who'm I to judge? lol. I agonized over whether or not to share my beloved ginger beer recipe. But in the end, I figured it would be a kindness in a world gone selfish. So....
Connie's Homemade Ginger Beer
1 - 1 1/2 oz fresh ginger, washed and sliced
1 tsp powdered ginger (if desired for extra ginger flavour)
1 gallon water
2 C + 1 T white sugar
2 T brown sugar (plus extra later)
1/4 C lemon juice
1/2 tsp citric acid granules (in a pinch, you could theoretically use 1/4 tsp lemon Kool-Aid)
2 tsp bread yeast
If using powdered, put the powdered ginger into a coffee filter and fold up into a little packet. Staple it closed so no powder can escape. Put it into a large pot. Put the fresh ginger into the pot and slowly pour on the water. Bring to a full boil and boil uncovered for a minute and a half. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the sugars, juice, and citric acid (careful, it will foam up when you add the acid). Stir well. Cover and allow to cool to room temperature.
Sprinkle on the yeast. Allow to sit in the pot (covered) for 24 hours. Strain. Pour into sodapop bottles that have been previously cleaned with vinegar (I usually use 16-20 oz bottles, which can be reused several times). Loosely cap and let sit at room temperature for 5 days.
Add an 1/8 tsp brown sugar to each bottle (if using 2L bottles, I go with 3/8 tsp). Tightly cap and let sit at room temperature. Check the bottles every couple hours! You want them to be firm to the touch, but with just a TINY bit of "give". If they get too hard, they can explode. If they don't get firm enough, you'll have less fizz. Once firm, refrigerate. Serve cold.
A couple of notes: Carbonation (fizz) will vary, not only from batch to batch, but bottle to bottle. The brew could smell a bit "musky", alcoholic, or just gingery. All are okay. But if it develops a foul odour, DO NOT DRINK IT. Now, it might be hard to find ginger root soon, so here's how to grow it (I've done so in pots indoors). One more tip: If you're low on yeast, it's possible to do a "continuous brew". Just set aside about a cup of the ginger beer before you seal the bottles (this will mean sacrificing part of a bottle or drinking it flat). Add it to the cooled pot instead of yeast. This will let you keep brewing if you run out of yeast, but as wild yeasts and bacteria become part of your batches, the taste WILL subtly change.
That's all for now. I hope you're all staying safe and healthy (physically AND mentally) in these trying times. If there you'd like more posts on homemade basics, cleaning supplies, etc, let me know in the comments. And don't forget to check out some of my earlier posts, including:
Homemade Cooking Basics
DIY Cleaning Products
Another DIY (Laundry products)
And for those missing fast food, an early post about (Veg-friendly) fast food Copycats.
Until next time....